Press construction



L. w. HoTTEL 1,748,176

PRESS CONSTRUCTI 0N.

Feb. 25, 1930.

Filed Deo. 22, '1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 Louis 72H01?? Z7 [Vlr/Vessem-Patented Feb. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE `I'OUIS W. HOTTEL, OF DETROIT,MICHIGAN PRESS CONSTRUCTION Application mea neeember 22, 1927. serialNo. 241,994.

This invention` relates to molding presses adapted for making electricalstorage battery boxes and other hollow articles.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel construction formanipulating the mold case in such a Way as to insure rigidity of theseparable mold plates during the pressing operation and to permit ofreadily and eectually releasing the same when the pressing operation hasbeen completed to ,facilitate the removal of the article. In thatconnection, it is proposed to provide a construction which automaticallylifts the mold case assembly outof and carries it into the die boX ofthe bed frame gradually and easily, when the mold case is seated in themold cavity or die box, the mold case operating means will have an idlemovement to permit a wedge element to complete its movement to rigidlyclamp the separable parts of the mold case prior to the die entering thesame, while on the return or upward movement the grip of the wedgingmeans will be automatically released before the mold case manipulatingelel ments come into play.

A further object of the invention is to, provide a construction whichlends itself to the embodiment of multiple unit construction, andwherein the bed containing the die box l can be made in the form of anintegral or solid casting having the mold case cavities therein, therebyproviding a rigid and substantial bed adaptedto adequately withstand theeXtreme pressures incident to the pressing operation. 'c p Withthe aboveand other objects in view which will more readily appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, illustrated and claimed. A preferred andpractical'embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying 5drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved press.

yFigure 2 is a detail sectional view, partly in elevation, illustratingthe relative position gf parts when the die is lowered into the dieFigure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the relative positionof partswhen the means for manipulating the mold case is in itsuppermost position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several gures of the drawings.

The present construction essentiall includes in its organization a bedmem er 1 resting upon a suitable hollow base 2, the said bed memberpreferably being in the form of a casting having a central chamber ortroughed portion 3 which provides Within the same at the opposite endsthereof, the mold receiving cavities or die boX portions 4 While theintermediate part is adapted to receiving the horizontally movable Wedgeblocks 5`and a coop- 7o erating pressure operated main wedge 6 whichforms a part of the mold case manipulating and operating means.

The bed 1 is equipped with the vertically arranged standards 7 whichsupport iuid op- 75 erated rams R and R2 having suitable fluidconnections C through which the controlling fluid for the rams passes tocause the raising and lowering movement of thedies designated generallyas D. Between the rams R and R2 80 there isprovided the cylinder of athird ram Rx having the rod 8 projecting downwardly therefrom andcarrying the main operating Wedge 6 previously referred to.

Referring further to the means for operlating the mold case designatedgenerally as M, and which includes the fluid controlled main operatingwedge 6, it will be observed that the said wedge carries at its bottomface a stem 9 which constitutes a part of a yoke ao I or cross memberl10 adapted to slidably receive the mold case supporting rods 11 at itsends. These rods are provided with the spaced lower and upper collars 12and 13,.the said collar 12 constituting anabutment. for a compressionspring 14 against which the cross member works 1n pulling the mold caseassembly M downwardlyY into thedie box'. `As will be observed from Figs.1 and 2 the relative spacing arrangement between the collars 12 and 13is such that when the cross member 10 of the mold.l case manlpulatingmeans moves to its downward limitv to fully compress the spring, thereis a space w between the upper surface of the cross member 10 and thecollar 13'. The purpose of providing this relatively idle movement ofthe cross member 10 with reference to the rods 11` is to permit the mainwedge 6 to cause its-wedge face 6a to engage more'or less with the wedgeface 5 of the movable wedge blocks4 to effectually press the wedge boxinto rigid binding engagement with the back plate 15 ofthe mold caseassembly to securely hold the latter in the mold cavity of the bed.Also, when the pressing operation has been completed of the wedge blocks5 and cause the pressurev to be in turn relieved from the interiorof themold case .to facilitate easy withdrawal of the dies D from the finishedarticle.

Each of the moldv case units M includes the back 15 previously referredto and a fronty plate 16 connected by the sideplates 17, all of saidplates being loosely connected by a bottom plate 18 (Figs. 1 and 4) towhich the rods 11 are attached.

The operation of the device is as follows The press is made ready foroperation by lirst turning the fluid into the upper end of the cylinder`of ram R3 thereby to force the mold case manipulating means includingthe Wedge 6 and cross member 10 downwardly and compressing the springs14 to pull the separable mold o1' liner plates which are looselyinterlocked down into the mold cavity, while at the same time, the mainwedge 6 forces the wedge blocks 5 into rigid and operative engagementwith the back plates 15 of the mold case. As previously explained, the

travel of the cross member 10 is somewhat greater than thedownward-travel of the rods 1l due to the play afforded by the springs14 thereby to permit of the full eiiciency and effectiveness of the mainwedge 6. Therefore, the ends of the cross member 10 will l leave theupper collars 13 near thevend of the final downward movement ofthe crossmember to that the mold case units M are held downwardly under springtension and` 'locked against movement or separation by the the centerram R3 isoperated" to move up-V l wardly so that there will bev yaslight initial upward movement of the main wedge 6 be-y fore the arms 10strike the .upper collars 13y thereby to release the pressure on thewedge blocks 5 and whereuponthe lramsR and R2 may be operated tofliftthe-.dies .out ofthe molds. When the dies have'beencompletely raised orlifted, the center ram R3 will again be operated to move u wardly tocause the cross member 10`to thev mold cases out .of the die boxes due'to thesaidememberp.,

engaging with the collars' or abutments 13.

In order to reassemblethe" apparatus, pressure is applied to the centerram R'3 to lower the wedge 6 and cross member 10 in the-manner alreadydescribedtherebyto prepare the press for another operation.

In connection with Vthe plates 'constituting the mold case M, it willbezunderstood that the outside surfaces ofv said `plates as well as thesides 4 of the die box. are provided With sufficient taper to insurefthe full vclosing of all of the plates and positively force'them to-`gethl- These features mayl of.` course'be""' varied in accordance withthe well known practice in constructions of this type, and it will, ofcourse, be understood that changes in desivn with respect tothesefeatures may be rea ily resorted to within the scope of theinvention. 4 r i Y V* In the present constructiomfit will be ob servedthat one of the distinctive features thereof is to provide for releasingthe, pressure on the plates of the mold case before the die or core ispulled from the finished article. The arrangement whereby the mold casema# nipulating means has a relatively idle movement for a part of itsstroke both in its downward and upward movement readily permits ofcarrying out this important phase of the operation. f

Without further description it is thought that the features andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be re'- sorted to,without departing from the spirit of .the invention and scope of theappended claims.

I claim :f

1. In a molding press, a bed provided with a mold receiving cavityhaving a movable E means operating tol release pressure from the movablewall member-in advance of lifting the mold case from said cavity.

3. In a molding press, a bed havingv a mold receiving cavity, a movablewedge element constituting one side of the'cavity, a mold case adaptedto enter saidcavity, and means for raising and lowering said A'mold caseand shifting said movable Wedge block.

4. A molding press for hollow articles including a bed providing a diebox, a mold caseincluding separable mold plates, a sliding wedge lblockfor cooperating with said mold case, and means for raising and lower--ing said mold case into andout of the die box and simultaneously movingsaid wedge block. A

5. A mold'press for molding hollow-articles including a mold caseconsisting orl separable' mold plates, a bed having a cavity forreceiving the mold case, mold case manipulating meansincluding'cooperating wedge elements and means for moving the mold case,and means'providing a relatively` idle movement in the lactuation of themold case whereby the wedging means may be further operated in saidperiod of idle movement.

6. In a molding press, a bed member having a mold receiving cavity, ahorizontally shiftable wedge element forming one side of the cavity, amold case including separable mold plates adapted to be moved into andout of said cavity, and a iuid actuated member having means for movingsaid wedge element and also moving said mold case.

7. In a molding press, a-bed member having a mold receiving cavity, ashiftable wedge forming one side of the cavity, a mold case assemblyincluding mold-plates and adapted to fit in said cavity, a rod engagingsaid mold case, and a fluid actuated member having means for moving saidwedge and connected to said rod of the mold case for raising andlowering vthe same.

8. In a molding press, abed member having a mold receiving cavity, aslidable wedge forming one side of the cavity, a mold case assemblyadapted to fit in said cavity, a member projecting from the mold, and afluid pressure operated member having means for moving said wedge andhaving anarm for loosely engaging with the member projecting from themold case.

9. In a molding. press a bed'member having a moldreceiving cavity, aslidable wedge forming one side of the cavity, a mold case assemblyincluding separable mold plates and fitting in said cavity, a rodcarried by the mold case and projecting .through the bed, spacedabutments on said rod, means operatively engaging with said rods betweenthe abutments for raising and lowering the mold case, and means formoving the wedge.

10. In a'molding press, a bed member having a mold receiving cavity, aslidable wedge forming one side of the cavity, a mold case'assembly-including separable mold plates v movable into and -out of saidcavity, a rod carried by the mold case, spaced abutments on saidrod, afluid pressure operated member, means on said'member for moving saidwedge into engagement with the mold case, a laterally projecting armcarried by said Huid oper' ated member and operating between saidabutments, and a compressible spring arranged between the said laterallyprojecting arm and one of said abutments.

11. A mold press for molding hollow articles comprisingk in combination,a bed having a mold receiving cavity, a movable wedge element formingone side of the cavity, a mold case assembly adapted to enter saidcavity, a die cooperating with the mold case,

and 'means for simultaneously moving said slidable wedge element and themold case assembly and effecting a part of the movement of the wedgebefore the die is pulled from` the mold case whereby locking pressuremay be relieved from the wedge.

" 12. A mold press for molding hollow aroperatively connected with saidmold case.

assembly.

13. A mold press for forming hollow articles including a bed havingformed at opposite ends thereof mold receiving cavities, fluid operatingdiesmounted on the bed above said cavities, mold cases mounted in saidcavities, wedge blocks forming the inside walls of said cavities andslidable in a horizontal direction, and a vertically moving rod elementhaving a wedge common to both of said wedge blocks, and a cross membercarried by the end of said wedge member and operatively connected withthe mold cases.

14. A mold press for forming hollow articles including a bed havingformed at opposite ends thereof mold receiving cavities, fluid operateddies mounted on the bed above said cavities, mold cases mounted in saidcavities, wedge blocks forming the inside Walls of said cavities andslidable in a horizontal direction, and a vertically moving rod elementhaving a wedge common to both of said Wedge blocks, and a cross membercarred by the end of said wedge member and operatively connected withthe mold cases, the said operative connection consisting of a.

lrod carried by the mold case and having spaced abutments thereon and aspring confined between one of said abutments-and said arm.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

LOUIS W. HOTTEL.

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